Ulfheonar: Connection
by Virginia I
Summary: "The connection you share changes who you are. You are no longer you and she is no longer she. Both of you are each other." Ginny & Hermione's relationship grows while Hogwarts is threatened. GW/HG, Sequel to Ulfheonar: Awakening
1. It Begins

**Author's Note: This is the sequel to Ulfheonar: Awakening, if you find yourself here and have not read it please go do so or you're going to be completely lost. **

**Warning: The story is rated M. If you do not like girl/girl don't read it.**

**On with the show!**

**Ulfheonar: Connection**

The last 2 months brought huge changes to the lives of Ginny & Hermione.

After they had completed their mating bond Ginny was stuck as a giant white wolf, unable to change back into her human form, she had found herself stuck in one of the second floor guest rooms because the door to the hallway was too small.

Dumbledore's smile when he entered the room said how he felt about Ginny's predicament and he had chuckled airily before transfiguring the stone around the door. Making it large enough for her to walk into the hallway.

The student body's reaction to the giant canine Ginny was as expected. The first time a group of students saw the 3 meter tall wolf walking down a school corridor they sent stunning spells at her. The spells had almost no effect due to the magical quality of her white fur, but Ginny felt sore for hours.

Dumbledore announced to the students, at the first possible chance, that the school was playing host to a rare intelligent breed of magical wolf. Further adding that the wolf would be helping to protect the castle from the increasing attempts by Death Eaters to enter the school grounds. Using his ability to make strange things seem normal, at the end of his announcement he offhandedly stated that the wolf just happened to be uncommonly large.

With Ginny's size came a rather strange search to find an acceptable place for her to live in Hogwarts. She obviously could not return to the dorms or the guest rooms and walking through the halls would bring her unneeded attention. Plus the mating bond still new made the two feel a constant tug to be near each other. Hermione's needs were also necessary.

They ended up moving into an unused circular tower to the north of the greenhouses after a suggestion from Professor Sprout. McGonagall helped to transfigure the entry-exit ways for Ginny's size. Just before McGonagall left she magic'd into existence a massive mattress as a surprise saying with a straight face, "At least it is not a doggy bed." before she turned on her heel and strode from the room. A soft chuckle was the only thing giving away her horrible sense of humor.

Hermione & Ginny naturally fell into the rhythm of living together. Sex completely out of the question, they only used the bed to cuddle and sleep on. Hermione quickly growing accustomed to using a soft white stomach as her pillow and Ginny wrapping her body protectively around her mate whenever they slept.

While Hermione returned to her normal classes, Ginny started receiving private instruction from Dumbledore. Although the old wizard could not hear Ginny's thoughts like Hermione could. He became so adept at reading Ginny's body language and facial expression, that if someone walked in on one of their discussions, it appeared as if the headmaster was having a conversation with himself and a wolf just happened to be in the room.

During the private lessons Ginny started to gain control over her new found magical prowess. But with any new thing there were accidents.

She gave Professor Flitwick a 2 foot rat tail when he started her from a nap she was taking by the fountain in the main courtyard.

A student found himself weightless after he poked Ginny's flank on a dare. His friends ended up playing an odd game of catch with him before the poor boy flew over the Great Hall and a teacher had to retrieve him.

One time, Hermione went flying through Hogwarts hallways and over the greenhouses. Ginny had unconsciously cast Accio on the brunette after a stressful day.

Outside of Hogwarts, the Death Eater's activities were becoming more noticeable. Increasing the frequency of dark magic related injuries and deaths. They had even attempted to break through the protective spells surrounding Hogwarts 6 times.

During one particularly relentless and violent attempt. The Death Eaters and the Hogwarts Security Forces were concentrating so much on firing spells at each other, that when Ginny appeared as if from nowhere, it scared both groups into ceasing fire and Ginny had taken to opportunity to charge the Death Eaters with ears flat on her head and teeth barred. They fled screaming.

With her debut on the battlefield, Dumbledore gave her some duties to defending the school. Hermione was against the idea at first but Ginny reminded her that their telepathy was not affected by distance. They set up a system similar to the Ministry's flying memos that would get word to the Security Forces if Ginny found anything suspicious on her rounds.

So Ginny was patrolling the grounds and the Forbidden Forest while Hermione was in class.

**Author's Note: Next chapter will be up tomorrow.**


	2. Appearances

**Author's Note: Woke up this morning sick. ugh. **_**Fantastic!**_** That aside, here's the next chapter.**

Sitting at one of the tables in the library Hermione was studying or at least trying to study. She had entered and sat down after lunch with the library vacant. As time went by it became more and more crowded with students.

The reason she was having such a hard time studying was because twenty minutes ago Malfoy and his followers had decided to take up residence at a table directly in front of her. They then proceeded to make crude jokes meant to insult her. Hermione only rolled her eyes at them.

Malfoy and his follows had had the same repertoire of jokes and insults since first year. They didn't even have the bragging rights to call their insults original. All their jokes came from their parents and they were not smart enough (apparently) to notice their comments had no effect.

Malfoy did make a comment about her being a 'bitch lover,' referencing her cover as Ginny's 'caretaker' and attempting to make it sound morally wrong. She wondered who taught him that before she started laughing loudly.

The ironic nature of his words, while lost to him, was not to Hermione: _Draco Malfoy, the son of a known Death Eater, a Death Eater in training and a complete coward without his cronies, was trying to make her somehow morally wrong. Priceless!_

Her laughing had gotten Malfoy's attention. Looking angry at not getting the reaction he wanted, he stood up and stalked over to her.

"Mudblood!" He sneered as if expecting the word would cause tears. _Ugh, Malfoy._

Hermione let out a fake sigh. She was going to enjoy this to the full extent she could.

"Honestly Draco, I would have though your pureblood would allow you to come up with some new insults after seven... long... _years._" She made sure to draw the last words out.

Then making her eyes widen slightly and tilting her head to the side, channeling Luna she continued, "I mean you do put such emphasis on how it makes you better than everyone else."

Malfoy stood there unable to retort, mouth opening and closing. Hermione thought he did a great fish impression. He didn't appear to have enough brain function to move so Hermione returned her attention to studying.

She got halfway through a rather morbid paragraph describing, in graphic detail, the death of some cattle in her Magical Creatures textbook when Malfoy's hands slammed into the surface of the table loudly, scaring her. His insults having no effect and being thoroughly word lashed himself. It looked like he'd decided a threatening posture and possible bodily harm were his only options.

As he leaned over the table, his face contorted in anger, Hermione began to suspect he might actually hurt her. She got out of her chair and moved back a few paces, her eyes never leaving the enraged Slytherin.

She then had the great pleasure of witnessing his face go white, making a high pitched squeal as he fell backwards onto his ass, then scrambling away from her before he turned tail and ran screaming like a little girl.

"Was wondering when you would get here." Hermione turned her head to smile over her shoulder at the large white wolf just inside the library doors.

Wolf Ginny smiled, _I think his hair went a shade whiter..._

* * *

><p>To those in Hogwarts who did not know the truth about the giant white wolf: Hermione was the wolf's caretaker. She had the idea to create the title while discussing her &amp; Ginny's living arrangements with Dumbledore.<p>

If anyone asked her why she lived in such close proximity to the huge creature she could say she volunteered for the unique position for the educational experience and to help the gamekeeper Hagrid from becoming over burdened by his duties.

It was the perfect cover and Hermione used it to its full extent. Whenever Ginny was not on her rounds defending Hogwarts or she in class; they were together.

She and Ginny were often seen walking together around the school grounds side by side. Because Ginny could not return to her human form Hermione always put her hand in the wolf's soft fur. It was their version of holding hands.

At first Hermione had gotten strange looks when she conversed with Wolf Ginny but those looks soon disappeared when the student's noticed the wolf responding to what the brunette said. Ginny often nodded her head or changed her facial expression while Hermione spoke with her. Although they did not know of the deeper telepathic connection between the two. That was how many figured out the wolf was an active participant in the conversations.

So that is how it looked to those in the library when the commotion between Malfoy and the Gryffindor Head Girl ended: It appeared as if the great white wolf had gotten there in time by coincidence. Scaring the wanna- be Death Eater away because the entire school knew how protective it was of its caretaker and precious friend.

The brunette collected her study materials and left the library, wolf beside her, fur in hand.

**Author's Note: *wink wink nudge nudge* Did you catch my surprise? *looks at a certain reviewer*  
><strong>

**Next Chapter: Ginny POV**


	3. Turtles

**Author's Note: Oh boy! Haven't been sick in such a long time I forgot how annoying it can be. Enjoy the next chapter.**

Running through the Forbidden Forest was one of Ginny's favorite past times since Dumbledore assigned her to patrol it. She loved the feel of dirt between her paws as she flew over the roots and dodged lower branches trying to impede the speeding wolf. Her mind while enjoying her the run was thinking of those who lived in the forest. The inhabitants were shocked to see Ginny. Instinctively knowing what kind of creature Ginny was, their response to her appearance in the forest were in turn a shock to her.

The colony of Centaurs' had sent a peaceful representative to inform her they wished to meet with her. When she followed the envoy back to the Centaur village the entire colony had set up a feast in her honor. Seems an Ulfheonar was a symbol of great posterity to the intelligent beasts.

When she ran into a stray werewolf, it ran from her but it froze mid-step when she barked out, _Stop!_ The poor thing was terrified of Ginny, it visibly shook when she approached it. Not knowing if it was one of the Death Eater werewolves she firmly ordered it to not go near Hogwarts before she let it flee from her presence.

Ginny had many encounters with the inhabitants of the forest and even made a few friends with the friendlier creatures. There was a three-headed dog, the same size as her, who loved to play with her whenever she ran into him on her patrols. She really enjoyed the playful wrestling and games of tag.

She avoided the spider den. Her instincts told her not to trust the acromantulas. The entire area around the den felt wrong. The first time she neared the den, that feeling of wrongness, had surprised her making her trip for the first time. Landing on your face as a wolf was much more uncomfortable than tripping as a human.

The unicorns of the forest often joined her patrols, running beside her in silent friendship. She had an odd relationship with the magical equines. It was possible that Ginny was the only human, well human-like being, that knew a Unicorn could speak English. They had told her they knew she was a predator but ignored their caution to listen to the goodness of Ginny's heart. Unicorn's had American accents.

She swore she just saw her father's Ford Anglia. _Ugh, Malfoy._

One of her mate's thoughts that had slipped through their bond filled with detest and annoyance. Errant thoughts of Hermione's slipped from time to time into Ginny's head, usually those thoughts with strong emotions attached. It happened more with Hermione's thoughts being sent to Ginny then the other way and Dumbledore speculated it was because Hermione did not have the sheer magical power Ginny possessed to control the bond.

Ginny booked it back to the castle, any thought related to Malfoy could never be a good thing. She trotted through the Hogwarts corridors, students moving out of her path. Lucky for Ginny, Hermione was studying in the library today. The hallways to the library were big enough for her to fit comfortably in.

When she enters the library Ginny sees a very pissed off Malfoy stalking toward her mate. Ears back and baring very sharp teeth she gets his attention. His face pales and he flees at great speed from the library.

"Was wondering when you would get here." Hermione is looking over her shoulder at Ginny with a smile.

_I think his hair went a shade whiter._

Hermione giggles at her joke while picking up things and then moving to join Ginny by the library doors.

"Back to the tower?"

_Yes._ Ginny nods agreement and begins walking at Hermione's pace in the direction of the greenhouses.

"How was the forest?"

_I think I might have seen my dad's old car in the forest. You know Harry and my brother crashed it into the Whomping Willow._

"No! The one from your first year?" Hermione couldn't believe it.

_Yeah! Only caught a glimpse of it but I swear that was his Ford Anglia._

Hermione's face took on a plaintive look. "I really should stop being surprised by all the things you tell me happen in the forest."

_Nah, you could never had known unicorns have American accents._ Ginny deadpans.

Hermione started to laugh but it turned into a rather loud snort.

The unicorn accent was a running gag between the both of them. The first time Ginny told her mate, she didn't believe a word she said. Stating that unicorns were ancient magical creatures and America was only 200ish years old. So Ginny went to great lengths to convince a rather nice unicorn to come speak to Hermione.

The first thing the unicorn said to Hermione was, " ¡Cenemos en tortugas esta noche!" in a rather bad Spanish accent before it burst into giggles, "I'm sorry I couldn't resist!"

Hermione didn't doubt a word Ginny said from that moment on.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I wonder if anyone will get the really bad unicorn joke I just put in there.<strong>

**¡Cenemos en tortugas esta noche!(Spanish): Tonight we dine on turtles!**


	4. Stalking

**Author's Note: Still sick but I'm making an effort to get at least one chapter a day to you guys. This one is a little shorter than normal.**

A few days after the incident in the library, Ginny found herself with Dumbledore in an open field on the school grounds. The headmaster was currently tutoring her in an attempt to return her to human form.

Although she enjoyed the freedom being in her wolf form provided there were _things_ she could not do as a wolf.

It had taken a few days after her first transformation to realize she could not shift back into a human. Ginny had been so excited about being in her animal form she didn't consider trying to shift back until Hermione had made a comment about cuddling together. In the end it took a dream visit from Arito to find out she needed to learn to control her new found magic before she could even attempt the shift.

"Miss Weasley you must concentrate on this spot here to make the plant grow..."

Ginny stopped listening. She had been 'concentrating' for a few hours now and all she had managed to do was make her fur glow an unintended neon green for about 30 seconds. She appreciated Dumbledore's instruction and even more the fact he took the time out of his day. Ginny knew how busy the old wizard was but today she felt a need to be elsewhere.

Ginny stood from her sitting position to give Dumbledore as much of a frustrated look as a wolf's face could muster. The headmaster was still speaking about the plant.

"-after that the plant will proceed to flail its limbs hysterically and you must avoid touching it's s-" He stopped mid sentence seeing her face, then let out a sigh. "You wish to end the lesson?"

Wolf Ginny nodded.

"We will meet again in two days. Same hour." He motioned her toward the Forbidden Forest. It was almost time to begin her afternoon patrol anyway. She turned around breaking out into a run toward the imposing tree line.

* * *

><p>About an hour later Ginny was skirting around the spider den when she heard two male voices loudly arguing with each other. With the dangers in the forest shouting was utterly stupid and lead to an untimely death. These voices did not belong here.<p>

She started stalking over to the voices, body and head lowered slightly, her movements quick and silent. Letting instinct take over she slinked under roots and over rocks until she found a slight rise between two large trees. It gave her the ability to see the two black robed men arguing with each other, but they could not see her.

_Death Eaters in the forest._

"-the map! How could you lose the bloody map!"

"I had 'et in me back pocket last time I check'd. Dunno where 'et went!"

"She's gonna kill us you know! That woman's crazier than even You-Know-Who was..."

_Spider's den._

Ginny watched the two Death Eater's continue to argue, noting they were slowly drifting toward her vantage point. When they reached the perfect position she leaped from the rise, landing on top one of them with a sickening crunch. The other shrieked in terror before he managed to disapparate.

She searched the area for clues as to why the two Death Eater's were in this area of the forest until the smell of acid and death caused her to retreat. The spiders were coming.

* * *

><p>Ginny met a squad of the Hogwarts Security Force at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The leader, a tall woman with short blonde hair, waved for Ginny to approach. It was protocol for the HSF to confirm Ginny's messages to avoid possible plots to bring harm to the school.<p>

"We got the message. Death Eaters near the spider's den?"

Ginny nodded.

"Gotcha! We're going to go check it out."

Ginny barked to get their full attention then looked toward the forest and growled. The HSF members understood she was saying there was more than Death Eaters moving around this evening.


	5. Message

**Author's Note: I'm about to make a really **_**really bad joke.**_** ;)**

"There are 5 main categories of shapeshifter; Animagi, Kelpies, Metamorphmagi, Veela and Werewolf.

We've reviewed these but we have not spoken much of the subcategories. For instance in the northwestern United States there are Native American metamorphmagi able to completely turn their bodies into wolves.

When first discovered they were mistaken as werewolves. You see these shape shifters become emotionally unstable after puberty. Gaining excessive muscle and height, often exhibiting irrational rage and an obsessive compulsive disorder to covet one person above all others.

Turn to page 259 in your textbooks and review the incident where a group of vampires encountered these-"

Hermione stopped listening. She had been hoping her Magical Creature's Professor would choose to lecture about the other subcategories but he went a picked the one teenage girls would squeal over: Tall dark and handsome, with emotional issues. Every girl's dream.

The thought made her slightly queasy.

Wolven shape shifters led her thoughts to Ginny who was doing her rounds in the Forbidden Forest. Hermione had discussed her nervousness with the white wolf in great detail and no matter how Ginny felt about needing to protect Hogwarts, Hermione did not like it. Ginny might be a god-like magical creature but that didn't mean she couldn't get hurt o-

_Death Eaters in the forest._

Hermione started at the sudden and very strong thought Ginny sent her. She pulled out some parchment and began scribbling a note down.

_Spider's den._

Finishing the note the Head Girl got the professor's attention.

"I need to take this to the HSF immediately." She pointed at the parchment. He nodded in understanding and dismissed her.

Not all of Hogwart's teaching staff knew the specifics about Ginny but they knew enough to not question Hermione if she mentioned the Hogwarts Security Forces.

Speeding in the direction of the HSF main offices on the edge of the school grounds her mind was overcome with concern over Ginny's welfare. Hermione knew the former redhead could handle herself but her message had been brief with little information on numbers or their reason for being in the forest.

The Hogwart's Security Forces main office was a large imposing bunker-like building. Most of the HSF buildings were modern military design with magical improvements. They clashed greatly with the huge medieval castle.

Hermione entered the building via a heavy steel door and headed for the first occupied desk in their office area. The name plate read 'Hilda Grooms'

"May I he-"

Hermione interrupted her question thrusting the parchment onto her desk stating, "Protector Wolf sent me a message you need to read."

The name was silly but it kept the HSF from questioning why the white wolf would have the same name as a Hogwarts student. They kept records of the student's basic information for security reasons.

"I see. How long ago did you receive the message?"

"20 minutes."

"Al right, we're going to go check this out. Head back to the castle."

* * *

><p>When Ginny returned, Hermione was leaning against the outer door of Wolves Tower. She watched as the white wolf trotted right up to her.<p>

_I missed you._ Ginny placed her head on her shoulder and Hermione's arms wrapped themselves around Ginny neck.

"I missed you too." She whispered.

After a few minutes of them standing outside the tower hugging Hermione detached her arms and pushed the massive doors open enough for them both to enter. Hermione sensing Ginny was exhausted made herself comfortable on the large mattress and allowed Ginny to encircle her.

* * *

><p>The next day Dumbledore paid them both a visit to announce he was increasing the number of patrols in the Forbidden Forest. He instructed Ginny to be cautious for they had found no reason for Death Eaters to be in that part of the forest.<p>

"This does not bode well." He had murmured. "I fear they are planning to attack the school."

So Ginny had thrown herself into searching the forest for clues.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> **If you didn't get that horrible joke... dont worry that's a good thing.**

**The chapter's seem to be getting shorter. No worries though. You're going to enjoy what's coming next *wink wink***


	6. Venom

**Author's Note: Good news! Already feeling better. Still stuffy but screw that! I'm going to write. Also, side note I've thought of a great idea for another story after I finish with this one and the last part of the trilogy.** **Now onto the good stuff! **

Snapping one of the giant spiders manly legs Ginny let out a menacing growl before turning toward three Death Eaters and charging them head on. They fired spell after spell into her but they had little effect. She tackled them grabbing one of their wand arms and snapping it then clawing another down the middle with front paws. Three powerful stunning spells hit her right flank and her hip went numb. She stumbled before righting herself and turning to face the spell casters.

There stood Bellatrix Lestrange flanked by two black robed men and twenty or so acromantula.

Ginny deep growl could not express her rage at being ambushed.

Bellatrix pointed her wand at Ginny and shouted, "Kill it!"

The giant spiders rushed Ginny in a wall of insect flesh and limbs tackling her to the ground trying to bite her with their sharp fangs. Ginny let loose a wave of magic and the spiders went flying as a spherical shield burst forth from her body flinging them from away.

She brought herself to a standing position, unharmed due to her innate protection from sharp weapons, and began ripping and tearing at any spiders she could get her teeth on. A rancid taste entered her mouth as she tore through the insects in a battle infused bloodlust. The forest floor becoming littered with twitching pieces of the Death Eaters allies.

When all the spiders were mauled or dead she returned her attention to Bellatrix Lestrange to find the evil woman watching her with a possessive glint in her eye.

"My my my aren't you a fantastic beast!" Her smile was evilly wicked and let out a cackle.

Ginny let out a series of fierce growls and barks.

Bellatrix's face morphed into a mask of pure insanity driven rage before announcing, "_I will enjoy breaking you." _

Without warning Bellatrix cast a series of spells hitting Ginny in the face and shoulders. They had little effect but she stumbled backward as a wave of nausea hit her _hard_ in the chest.

Eyes darting to the spiders and she remembered the rancid taste in her mouth while she fought them. Ginny's eyes widened in panic as she realized she had swallowed acromantula venom. Fighting the growing nausea and the fog that had begun to cloud her mind, Ginny turned heel and ran.

Ginny was panicking as she ran. Her mate would not be able to hear her thoughts because the brunette was asleep. She did not know if she would make it out of the forest before she collapsed. Her steps were already uneven and the fog in her mind had now moved to her sight.

She tripped and her body slammed into a tree before she fixed herself. Whimpering in pain she limped a few paces before attempting to run again.

Need to get out of the forest. Need to get out of. Need to get. Need to...

She collapsed onto the ground laboring to breathe. Her eyes would not open no matter how hard she tried. She couldn't even feel her other limbs to attempt to move them.

Ginny took in as much air as she could into her lungs and let it out into a mournful howl.

* * *

><p>Hermione jolted awake. Something was wrong, terribly wrong! She jumped out of the bed pulling on random pieces of clothing as she left the Wolves Tower. Three steps out of the tower door and she felt the urge to puke hit her squarely in the chest. Nausea caused her to stumble and nearly fall before she caught herself.<p>

"I need to..." She had no idea what she needed to do. Hermione had just woken up with the instinctual knowledge something was not right and she didn't know what to do! The urge to puke wasn't helping her collect her thoughts either.

Then it struck. Her connection with Ginny was completely open. Hermione was feeling what Ginny was physically feeling. Hermione had become so used to their connection always being there, having it fully open seemed only natural.

Tears sprang to her eyes and in the distance a wailing howl echoed off the Hogwarts battlements before cutting off abruptly.

"Ginny!"

Hermione's mind was beginning to slow down. She headed to the most logical place her nausea filled mind could think of: The Infirmary.

As she drew closer it became increasingly hard to walk. Her limbs began to grow heavier and heavier and her center of balance seemed to shift randomly causing her to trip and nearly fall a number of times.

She reached the infirmary and Nurse Pomfrey rushed to Hermione's side holding her up.

"Something... wrong with... Ginny. Find he-!" Hermione did not finish her plea as she collapsed completely into the Nurses arms and became limp.

* * *

><p>Hermione felt as if she were floating. She was unable to move her body.<p>

Voices spoke around her, muffled and hard to understand.

"Poppy... move... Wolves Tower immediately!" Hermione recognized McGonagall's voice.

* * *

><p>Hermione heard whimpers. Something crashed to the floor.<p>

"Place her... mattress." It was Dumbledore. His voice was filled with worry. "Ginny... need to... down!"

A threatening growl and Hermione's body was surrounded by warmth.

"Fetch... watch them."


	7. Pandering

**Author's Note: I am cured! As a treat I decided to write an extra chapter for you guys. It's complete comical smut and has no real effect on the plot LOL and it's a dream so... yeah. **

**Warning: It's M for a reason!**

_Ginny opened her eyes to the greenery of the familiar trees of the dream forest. _

_"Ginny! You're... you!" Exclaimed Hermione._

_Ginny hadn't noticed that Hermione was with her in the forest. She didn't turn to face her, she was searching for Arito. He always showed up in these dreams. _

_"Of course I'm me, who else would I be?" She replied tersely. _

_"No! I mean you're _human."

_She looked down to find herself, indeed, a human. "And I'm naked."_

_Ginny turn to look at Hermione. "So are you!... Why do you have a blue carrot?"_

_The brunette looked down at her hand to find it holding a blue carrot. "I have no idea. We're dreaming let's just not question it."_

_"Agreed." Ginny paused with a thoughtful look on her face. "We should do it."_

_"Excuse me? Do what?"_

_"Sex! We should have sex!" Ginny's smirked. "I mean we're dreaming so why not?"_

_"If you hadn't noticed we are in a forest. Unless you want to do it against a tre-"_

_Hermione squeaked as she was pushed up against a tree by an excited Ginny. Hermione raised an eyebrow, "A tree?"_

_"Don't look at me like that. I know you want this just as much as I do. I've been stuck as a wolf for over 3 months now and I will take it where I can get it. Dream or no dream!"_

_At that moment their attention was pulled away from each other by one red and one blue unicorn floating past them shouting nonsense in Russian while wearing fake beards and raccoon hats._

_"Is this your dream or mine? Beca-" Hermione was cut off by Ginny's lips crashing into her own._

_"Shut up." Ginny mumbled into the fierce kiss._

_Hermione complied and kissed the redhead back with bruising force. She was just as frustrated as Ginny._

_Their tongue's dueled each other fighting for dominance. Ginny releasing a guttural groan when Hermione bit her bottom lip and pulled back letting the flesh go with a small pop. _

_The brunette looked directly into Ginny's eyes. "I want you to touch me."_

_Ginny nodded dumbly as a shot of arousal ran through her entire body before settling on her clit, making it throb painfully. She lowered herself to her knees before Hermione's pussy and dove right in. Licking and sucking the drenched flesh as Hermione withered and moaned against the tree._

_Hermione's hands were busy. One grabbed onto Ginny's head keeping her in place as her hips bucked into the pleasure. The other went to her breast to pinch and roll her nipple between her fingers._

_When Ginny looked up and saw Hermione she moaned at the erotic sight. The vibrations causing Hermione to gasp and clench her hand in Ginny's hair almost painfully._

_Ginny couldn't stand it. She started touching herself with one hand while the other shoved a finger into Hermione's wet pussy and thrust upward in one strong stroke before beginning a slow rhythm of pumping in and out._

_"Oh God! Don't stop..."_

_Ginny's hand touching herself caused her to come when Hermione screamed out, "Ginny!" _

_The force of her orgasm caused Hermione's legs to give out and she slid down the tree. "God, even in dreams you're fucking great at this."_

_Ginny smiled smugly, "If we only had a mattress..."_

_"It's a dream, maybe if we concentrate hard enough it will appear?"_

_They both closed their eyes and concentrated on having a mattress appear in the forest so they could continue their activities unheeded by the rough terrain. _

_"HA!" Hermione had opened her eyes to find a large bed in a clearing a few meters from them._

_When they reached the bed Ginny spotted something laying on the bed covers. _

_"I didn't think of this." She said as she picked up a good sized purple strap-on._

_"I did." Hermione said nonchalantly._

_"You want me to use this on you?" Ginny was confused._

_"Oh no no no. It's for _me_ to use on _you_. I never did get to repay you for that utter mind blowing sex before you shifted into a wolf." _

_When Ginny was distracted by what looked like an oddly drawn caricature of an angry face with the letters UMAD below it. Hermione turned her so her front was facing the bed so fast Ginny let out an involuntary growl and tried to turn back to Hermione._

_"Oh no you don't! I am going to make you scream my name just like I've done to yours so many times now." _

_While holding the usually dominant red head to the bed, Hermione went off on a tangent. "Do you realize that a few minutes ago was our first kiss? And that I haven't had the personal pleasure of actually making you come... even once?" _

_Holding Ginny to the bed with one arm she used the other as a puppet. " You went and got all 'I must claim her!' on my butt all night and I didn't get to touch you at all. Then you went and turned into a giant wolf! No way! Just nooooo way!"_

_Ginny stopped struggling and turned her head to eye Hermione lustfully. "You done yet? I can't take this much longer." She wiggled her butt which was pressed against the hard strap-on._

_"Oh, didn't even notice I put that on..."_

_Hermione slapped Ginny's ass once before shoving her hand between Ginny's legs to feel her most intimate flesh. Hermione moaned to find her completely soaked and Ginny gasped as two fingers stroked her clit then huffed frustrated as the hand withdrew._

_She became more frustrated as Hermione positioned the head of the strap-on dildo at her entrance but did not enter. "Hermione! Please!"_

_Hermione pushed it in slightly before withdrawing. Ginny tried to push her hips back in an effort to quell the need for contact._

_"Say what you want Ginny." The brunette pushed forward and withdrew again a number of times. Each time Ginny became more frantic. Hermione leaned over Ginny's back pushing their bodies together and rubbing the entire length of the dildo along Ginny's pussy. "Say what you want."_

_"I want you to fuck me!" _

_Ginny nearly screamed as Hermione shoved the entire length of the dildo into her pussy and began thrusting. In and out. In and out. Their hips met in rhythm for a few minutes as Ginny grunted every other thrust._

_The rhythm began to falter when Hermione noticed Ginny had pressed her face into the bed sheet, muffling her moans. Hermione grabbed her hair and pulled her head up. "I want to hear you Ginny."_

_"Merlin! Faster... go faster!"_

_Ginny grabbed the bed sheets as Hermione grabbed her hips and thrust faster into the red head. The dildo making a wet sound, adding to the grunts and gasps of their fucking._

_Ginny screamed Hermione's name as she came. Louder than Hermione had ever screamed Ginny's. She then fell completely onto the side of the bed, the dildo still inside her as Hermione rested breathing hard on her back._

_"You're really good at this too." Ginny managed to breath out between her own ragged breaths._

_"Thanks."_

_At that moment a strange high pitched meowing sound floated through the air followed by the most annoying music, "Nyan nyan nyan NiNiNi NiNi nyanyan nya nyan!" and unlike the other oddities in this dream it did not stop and proceeded to get louder and louder before a pastry followed by a rainbow flew over their heads._

_"We should go." Ginny deadpanned._

_Hermione only nodded before she faded from the dream. Ginny immediately followed._

**Author's Note: Cookies to those who got my really bad jokes. Cookies upon cookies.**


	8. Grave Importance

**Author's Note: ;)**

Groaning, Hermione lifted her head from a fluffy white pillow to find Luna a few inches from her face. Surprised to awaken to the blonde haired witch in such close proximity Hermione jerk back into the white pillow. The pillow grunted but did not wake.

"Luna! Bloody hell." Exclaimed Hermione.

"I see you're awake. I was rather worried since it has been almost 4 days." Luna tilted her head to the side inquisitively. "You were moaning in your sleep. Although after awhile I suspected not in pain anymore."

The suggestive twinkle in Luna's eye caused Hermione's cheeks to flare an embarrassing red. She coughed mumbling something about dreams and turned to look at the pillow.

"Oh, don't worry about Ginny. She was yipping rather happily about an hour ago." Luna's trademark dreamy smile and far off look had reappeared.

"Luna, can I ask you something?"

Her response was a dreamy, "Sure."

"Why is there an onion on your head?"

Luna was currently sporting a hat in the shape of said vegetable. "Did you know onions are thought to help cure poison? I made this to help you two get better. Its working quite well."

Hermione managed to hold in the giggle that tried to escape at Luna's odd way of helping. The shock of waking up to Luna's face so close to hers had worn off and the thoughts of why she was unconscious for almost four days came to the forefront of her mind.

"So Ginny and I are okay? The... poison...didn't have lasting damages?" Hermione was piecing it all together in her mind.

"I do not believe so." Dumbledore's voice drifted over from the tower door. He stepped into the circular room, the door shutting softy behind him.

"The poison made Miss Weasley quite sick. When Hagrid found her at the edge of the forest she was stumbling around dazed. He brought her here and she became extremely agitated when she figured out you were not with her. Made quite a ruckus trying to find you."

Hermione smiled softy placing her hand on the sleeping wolf's head running her finger through the fur on her forehead subconsciously. "I vaguely remember someone talking about bringing me here..."

"Yes, I suspected your bond with her would cause you some distress. To the extent it did surprised me. Because you were not poisoned yourself Madam Pomfrey could do nothing but give you a sleeping drought. The potions that cure poisons do not work on canines." Dumbledore shifted his eyes to the slumbering pile of white fur. "I will return later when she wakes. We have much to discuss."

Luna and Hermione watched him leave.

"He is quite mysterious isn't he?" Chirped Luna.

Hermione nodded as she got herself comfortable leaning against Ginny's flank. "So, why are you here Luna? Shouldn't you be in class..."

Luna smiled wistfully, "McGonagall woke me from a lovely dream about a Jotnar and ordered me to Wolves Tower. She was very distressed. Dumbledore told me to watch over you two as you slept. He was so very nice telling me I needn't go to class. It would have been very difficult to be in two places at once."

Hermione accepted her odd reply, used to the strange way Luna spoke. They enjoyed a comfortable silence for a long while before Ginny began to show signs of returning from her dream world.

_Ugh my head._ Ginny lifted her head and blinked at the unnaturally bright tower room. _Blow out a candle will you?_

"Welcome to the world of the living." Luna had no idea how much her simple sentence effected Hermione.

Ginny almost died a few nights ago. Hermione was rather shaken up about the entire ordeal. Not just for the danger Ginny had been in but what their connection had done to Hermione. She wondered if more serious and grave injuries would affect her as well. What if Ginny or Hermione died, how would the other fare?

"Luna, could you fetch Dumbledore? I believe he has something extremely important to discuss."

* * *

><p>"That is a question to ponder, Miss Granger. If one of you were to parish, how would it affect the other? Hmmm." Dumbledore made himself comfortable on a stool across from the worried brunette and wolf Ginny.<p>

He looked rather odd since the stool was not a stool at all but a tree stump Hermione used to prop her foot up when she tied her shoe laces. She likened Dumbledore's position as an adult banished to the children's table at Christmas.

"While I ponder that I must inform you both of grave events that have unfolded while you were otherwise indisposed." His face became gravely serious.

"A Death Eater murdered the son of an affluent auror... on school grounds. "

The girl's eyes grew wide. The implications of what the headmaster had just said were not lost on them.

"The Ministry is in an uproar. The HSF have been unable to determine how the Death Eater entered the school grounds. Miss Weasley, I must know what happened in the forest that night."

Hermione voiced Ginny's thoughts. _I was ambushed just outside the Spider's den by Bellatrix Lestrange and about 10 Death Eaters. She ordered the acromantula to kill me. I fled because I had swallowed spider venom during the fight. After that things get hazy._

Dumbledore remained in thought for several minutes before responding.

"I fear the Death Eaters have gained allies in the Forbidden Forest's spider population. This is indeed grave news. I must go inform the HSF to increase their presence over the entire school grounds." Dumbledore pushed himself off of the tree stump and made his exit.

Ginny barked to get his attention as he opened the large tower door.

"Professor! You didn't answer my question."

Hermione's voice was respectful. As grave and important as the news was for the safety of the school, her question and its possible ramifications were just as important.

Dumbledore leveled a steady stare at them both.

"A telepathic bond becoming a physical bond is dangerous territory for even the most powerful of magic users. If either one of you were to become gravely injured, I suspect the uninjured party might feel physically bonded to the others sensations. Miss Granger, you have firsthand experience with this."

He paused before continuing, " or those sensations might create a violent emotional response."


	9. Let's Dream

**Author's Note: Oh my, the poem is back!**

"Wolf-skinned they are called

An ancient line of noble blood.

She has returned

The Forest God

To claim her mate

To stop the wicked

And break the fate

of those she loves."

Against Hermione's wishes Ginny had gone to find Arito and ask him for more information on their bond. Ginny had left for the forest just after Hermione dozed off but she didn't know that the brunette had awakened the second Ginny's body heat left her. What Hermione did not know was why she could see through Ginny's eyes when she closed her own.

* * *

><p>It came as a shock a few minutes after the wolf had slipped out the door. Hermione had intended to try to get some sleep but every time she closed her eyes she got hazy images of trees flying past her. She had blinked to erase the images but it only brought them into clearer focus until it seemed she was the one moving through the forest.<p>

It didn't take her very long to figure out she was looking through Ginny's eyes as she ran through the Forbidden Forest. So unable to remove the vision from her head she sat back and enjoyed how Ginny saw the world.

After 10 minutes of running, muffled noises came through as well. Following the same pattern as the vision it slowly came into focus until Hermione felt as if she were with Ginny as she ventured deeper into the forest.

Ginny searched one particular section of the forest for nearly an hour before she found what she was there for.

Arito was stretched out quite comfortably on the ground under a large twisted section of the forests tree roots. When he lifted his head the roots of the trees moved to accommodate the bears movements. It made for an interesting dance between the bear and the plants. Arito would take a breath causing his huge chest to expand and the roots would follow the movements. If one didn't know they were ancient tree roots it would appear that the bear had covered himself in a thick blanket.

Hermione watched and listened as Ginny began to growl and bark softy at the giant brown bear. She assumed this was Ginny's spoken language because the bear nodded and replied with his own series of growls. It caught Hermione off guard when Arito suddenly began speaking English after one of Ginny's growls.

"Wolf-skinned they are called

An ancient line of noble blood.

She has returned

The Forest God

To claim her mate

To stop the wicked

And break the fate

of those she loves."

Ginny responded with what sounded like the wolf version of an annoyed hurmpf and another series of barks ending in a sigh.

Arito didn't respond for quite some time but when he did his eye shifted slightly and Hermione didn't know how to explain it in any other way but that Arito was looking right at her instead of Ginny.

"The connection you share changes who you are. You are no longer you and she is no longer she. Both of you are each other." He paused letting the information be processed, then added, " But you are not completely compatible... _yet._"

Ginny continued to speak to him but Arito made himself comfortable and fell asleep within seconds of settling his head on his paws. Hermione watched Ginny let out an annoyed groan before turning to begin running through the forest again.

The vision seemed to fade until Hermione was seeing through her own eyes again.

* * *

><p>When Ginny returned to Wolves Tower, Hermione was waiting for her on the huge floor mattress. Hermione just motioned for Ginny to join her on the bed.<p>

"I missed you." She said warmly.

_I went to see Arito, he-_

Hermione smiled and cut her off, "I know. Let's just go to bed. Im tired and cold without you here."

They settled in together on the bed Ginny's body wrapped protectively around Hermione warming her up. Hermione ran her hand through Ginny's fur softy the hypnotic motion lulling them both into slumber.

_"I really like dreaming!" Ginny nearly shouted it as she spotted Hermione a few meters away in the familiar green forest. "Although, sometimes I wish for a change in scenery."_

_"I don't know..." Said Hermione, "I like the view from where I'm standing."_

_Ginny walked over to the shyly leering Hermione. Huge grin on her face while she enjoyed Hermione's appreciative eyes._

_They had both become used to finding each other naked in the dream forest after the first time. These dreams did not happen every time they slept but with enough frequency that it left them both sated. _

_Being a mated pair had downsides when one of the pair was currently not the same species as the other. Hermione had found a revealing passage about bonds in other magical creatures that stated a new bond pair would feel urged to mate quite frequently. _

_Ginny had laughed when Hermione told her and said through the connection, _That explains you moaning in the shower._ Hermione had hit Ginny with a chair when she fell onto the floor doing her version of laughter when she'd seen Hermione's reaction._

_Not that Ginny hadn't been frustrated at the time. She just couldn't resist jesting with the brunette. Ginny had been even more frustrated than Hermione had at the time. Being a giant white wolf didn't allow her the luxury of masturbation. Sure, she could lick herself but Ginny found the thought disgusting._

_"How many times have we met like this?" Asked Hermione out of the blue._

_"Not sure, five or six since the spider thing 3 weeks ago."_

_"Could we just... be together?" Hermione was staring at her feet shyly._

_"I enjoy just being with you. Don't need sex to be with you."_

_Ginny lifted Hermione's chin and smiled softy at her. She pulled Hermione into her embrace and they fell down onto the large amount of pillows Ginny had envisioned below them. Laying side by side, bodies entangled, they looked into each other's eyes just enjoyed the company of their mate. Ginny had not lied. While they did enjoy the sex, immensely. She would have been satisfied with just spending time with her mate. _

_Hermione spoke suddenly again, "You know, we've never said 'I love you.' Is it strange I don't care about that?"_

_"No, not strange at all. I don't need to say 'I love you' because I can _always feel_ how much you do and you can feel how much I do." Ginny smiled peacefully. She had had the same thought a few weeks ago and it seemed Hermione was having it now._

_Ginny leaned in and kissed Hermione's lips softy, lingering a few seconds before withdrawing. She pulled Hermione closer to her body and they both sighed enjoying the contact but not needing to go any farther._

_They laid in that position on the pile of pillows for what seemed like hours. Not speaking but sometimes showing affection for each other with a kiss or an intimate touch. _

_Neither noticed at first but the wind had picked up and the trees were swaying slightly from side to side. When the light in the forest grew dim it came to their attention._

_"That's not normal." Said Hermione, as Ginny eyed the darkening forest with unease. Getting to their feet they became increasingly worried as the entire dream forest shifted into something else._

_"This is like a nightmare." Said Ginny._

_Hermione's eyes widened in horror. She grabbed onto the red head's hand tightly. "Ginny! We're in a dream. That means this __is__ a nightmare!"_

_Standing together in the nightmare forest, the sound becoming louder and the darkness more imposing, they tried to awaken but as with any good nightmare you can never seem to leave when you want too._

_An almost deafening bout of evil cackles caused them to release their joined hands and cover their ears in an attempt to avoid the auditory pain. The horrific laughter continued as they fell to their knees. Their ears throbbing in agony._

_When Ginny raised her head, hands still attached to the sides, she found Bellatrix Lestrange's face centimeters from her face. She released a terrified scream before the face rushed at her and she was flung from the dream._

_Hermione watched as Ginny disappeared suddenly and the pale face of the Death Eater turned toward her. It smiled wickedly, showing her a mouth full of menacingly sharp teeth before speeding toward her. _

_Hermione screamed._


	10. Primal

**Author's Note: I spent extra time on the next few chapters to makes sure they are as perfect as possible. They are a little shorter but you'll get more than one a day. Enjoy!**

Ginny wakes so violently that her entire body jerks back and lands on the tower floor with muffled thump. She lays there remembering what happened in the dream. Watching the beautiful dream forest become a nightmare had frightened her greatly but when she had lifted her head and found the pale smirking face of Bellatrix Lestrange _right there_... Ginny had never felt such pure unadulterated terror before.

Giving herself a good shake, she got to her feet and inspected Hermione. The brunette was not showing any signs of distress as she laid in the center of their bed. Their connection relaying nothing and having not yet awoken, Ginny assumed she left the dream but did not leave her slumber.

Returning to her usual position on the bed Ginny could not bring herself to sleep, so she got comfortable while she waited for her mate to awaken.

* * *

><p>The back of Ginny's neck was tense. She did not know what for but her instincts were telling her to be alert, "There is danger approaching..." They said to her.<p>

With great skill she removed herself from around her mate without jostling her and silently walked to the exterior tower door. She pushed it open with her head and positioned herself just outside the doors, scanning the area. Nothing appeared to be out of place but Ginny's instincts continued to tell her something was not right.

Her suspicions were confirmed when an explosion rocked the air and Dumbledore's voice boomed over the school grounds, "Death Eaters in the castle! Teachers instruct your students to evacuate. Those of age have permission to protect your classmates and fight alongside the Hogwarts Security Forces!"

From the sound of the explosion, Ginny had returned to Hermione's side to wake her but the brunette would not no matter how hard she shoved her.

She sat back on her haunches, thoughts racing, _I have a duty to protect the school but I can't leave Hermione like this..._ another explosion and the shock wave rattled Wolves Tower, _Merlin, I don't want to leave you here Hermione but people are dying! _She caressed Hermione with the side of her face and made a decision.

As she moved outside Ginny called on as much of her magic as she as comfortable with and enchanted Wolves Tower with the strongest possible shield she could produce. No one could go in but Hermione could leave if she felt the need. Ginny knew the tower would be the safest place in Hogwarts until she removed the magic protection.

Her mate protected, she kept her magic flowing and started to allow her instinct to take control of her. As she became more and more wolf, her head dropped low eyes closing, posture slumping. Her senses became more acute and her magic more wild, primal. Body giving off waves of pure power and ready to spring into action, she lifted her head, opening her now blue almost white eyes and Wolf Ginny emerged completely.

Without pause broke into a full charge, heading to the castle.


	11. Sit boy

Paws hitting the ground hard as she ran with alarming speed. Wolf Ginny's eyes scanned the castle assessing the damage. The two previous explosions had turned into nearly a dozen. Each time the castle shuddered sending dust and debris falling from the roof and weaker portions of the outer castle walls.

Through the windows Wolf Ginny could see human sized figures dashing past the glass and different colored flashes of light. Every so often a larger shape passed a window. _They've brought allies._

Wolf Ginny rounded a corner at break neck speed and plowed directly through a solid wooden door. She was greeted with the chaos of battle. Death Eaters and Arcomantula's were attacking the HSF and the brave students in this hallway.

Green flash of light and a HSF member fell forward onto the floor with a thud. A spider skittered forward causing the 2 HSF near their fallen comrade to retreat slightly. An excessively loud growl ripped from her throat when she watched the spider grab onto one of the HSF and drag him screaming into a group of smaller spiders.

The growl caused all the humans in her vicinity to turn their heads to the source. The HSF and student's breathed a sign of relief, while the Death Eater's eyes grew wide seeing a 14 foot tall, enraged, white wolf glaring at them with a look that promised pain.

Letting loose another deafening growl Wolf Ginny jumped into the pile of spiders as the Death Eater's cast spell after spell at her. Keeping her mouth firmly closed she used her weight to crush the disgusting arachnids until there were no more near her. She looked down the hallway to see some had fled from her. Wolf Ginny's mouth almost looked like an evil smirk.

A rather strong stunning spell hit her twice on the side numbing part of her underbelly. This got her attention turned to the Death Eaters. Carving grooves into the stone floor where her claws dug in, Wolf Ginny braced her body as she used all her limbs strength to fling herself nearly 30 feet down the corridor, landing right on top of four black robed enemies. She heard screams of pain as the distinct sound of snapping bones met her ears. _Tango down._

Trusting the HSF and older student's battle prowess, when she landed she broke into a run dashing down hallways and corridors. Wolf Ginny ran into any enemies she came across, knocking them over and leaving them vulnerable to attack. She also became a shield against spells, saving the lives of many grateful allies.

* * *

><p>When she reached the main courtyard she found teachers, students and HSF members battling against a massive wave of werewolves. Wolf Ginny nearly laughed at the absurdity of sending werewolves against her home and pack.<p>

Jumping over the makeshift barricade separating the two forces, the white wolf stopped 10 meters from the main line of the werewolves. She sat down calmly, pulled in a lung full of air and released a very long and very loud howl.

The reactions of the battlefield's occupants were almost comical in their differences.

The teachers, students and HSF members paused for only the slightest second to wonder why the Protector Wolf was sitting in the middle of a battle howling before dismissing it in favor of watching the werewolves.

Nearly 300 werewolves dropped to their knees or stomachs, whimpering in submission. Some even turned tail and ran, faces clearly showing terror from hearing Wolf Ginny howl.

Only one werewolf did not share this reaction. Fenrir Greyback stepped forward from the line of sniveling and crying men and women to stand directly in front of Wolf Ginny and spit on the ground before her paws.

Something tickled softy on the back of Ginny's thoughts.

"Looks like we have a _bitch_ who needs to be put in her place." He managed to get out between clenched teeth, fighting his instincts to submit to her will.

Wolf Ginny watched him passively, not responding to his insult. _I wonder..._

She waited until he made the move she knew he would. He charged at her intending to 'put her in her place.' Wanting to see how Greyback would react, when he was less than 10 feet in front of her, she softy growled, "_Sit boy."_

He tripped over his own feet. Landing on his face, hard.

Wolf Ginny watched this with her face still passive but on the inside she was clutching her sides, rolling the floor laughing.

He struggled to pull himself to his feet. When he straightened his back and looked her in the eyes fully, his entire body froze in terror.

_Yes, now you understand. There is no other option than to obey me._ "_Sit!"_

And he fell backwards landing on his ass with his legs stretched out in front of him. No resistance on his face what so ever. "I-I-I...!"

_"Shut up." _Wolf Ginny addressed the entire group of werewolves, "_All of you will enter that castle and subdue any Death Eater you see. You will not resist if teachers or students or HSF members cast spells at you. You will kill any spiders or other creature allies you brought with you and then you will submit yourselves to the HSF for imprisonment. Go. Go now!"_

The werewolves struggled to go against her will but the instinct was too much and they gave in. Rushing forward over the barrier, a few were taken out by stunning spells from the remaining Hogwarts defenders. They were stunned themselves, emotionally, when the werewolves rushed past them without a second glance and began attacking the Death Eaters, spiders, trolls and whatever else they had brought with them.

Shock, revulsion and terror exploded into Ginny's head. Hermione! She had been concentrating so hard on battle she had missed the tickle of their connection when her mate had awoken.

Hermione's terror morphed into rage and Ginny then felt _everything. _Her mate was almost completely wolf at that moment. Complete instinctual need to kill something, someone. Pain. _Dumbledore!_ thought Hermione.

The connection was severed.


	12. Collapse

**Author's Note: Im keeping you guys in suspense a very long time arnt I? :D**

When the pale face turned to Hermione she screamed and started to franticly claw her way to consciousness. She awoke with her limbs trying to grab anything within reach. Her mind subconsciously needed something solid to ground her. Once fully awake, she laid on the bed completely still, letting her breathing even out.

An massive explosion rocked the tower causing dust to fall from above.

Startled by the sudden noise, body already on alert from the nightmare, the brunette jumped to a standing position on the mattress and dashed to the door. Flinging it open with force she stood in the archway and took note of the thin crackle of magical energy around the outside of Wolves Tower before her eyes widened at the sight of Hogwarts Castle.

Parts of the castle were on fire sending plumes of heavy black smoke into the sky. Flashes of color could be seen through most ground floor and second floor windows. The wind carried snippets of the battle's sound track to her ears; Screams, shouts and growls could be heard clearest in the wind.

Her entire body flinched and recoiled when another explosion occurred. She watched as the violent eruption sent a cloud of black smoke into the sky to join the other plumes. The flames it had spread over a section of roof were a brilliant deep purple color before fading into the familiar hue of yellow-orange.

Still standing in the door archway, Hermione watched in horror as the tower housing Dumbledore's office leaned precariously to one side before imploding and crashing down the wall of the castle.

She stared at the gaping hole where that tower connected to the rest of the castle for one beat before her body made the decision to act for her. She raised her hand and her wand flew into it from across the room then took a few steps forward through the magic shield toward the battle.

With eyes scanning for danger and keeping a tab on the burning castle, Hermione allowed herself to search the mating bond in her mind. To her surprise she did not find Ginny at the other end of the bond but something Ginny-like. She knew it was still her but at the moment Ginny was so primal she seemed more wolf than human. That fact made it harder for Hermione to make and understand what Ginny was sending her.

She did sigh in relief when she heard a faint '_I wonder...'_ and felt a few bits of an emotion close to curiosity but it was mixed with what she could only describe as an adult patiently dealing with a stubborn child.

She reached an open door leading into the castle and cautiously entered, her wand raised and ready. Down the corridor to her left there were flashes of color and the shouts of battle. To her right the way was clear. As much as she wanted to help defeat the intruders, Hermione needed to reach the floor housing Dumbledore's office. So she took up faster pace and went to the right.

Hermione ran through the hallways she firing spells at any enemies in her line of sight. She had to duck into other corridors a few times because the way had collapsed, blocked by Death Eaters or filled with aggressive _things._

She reached the moving staircases as quickly as she could and navigated to the correct floor faster than she could ever remember. The staircases seemed to know enemies from friends because she watched a group of 3 Death Eaters clutch the rails of one staircase for life as the stone ramp violently jerked from side to side.

The seventh floor was alarmingly quiet. Hermione moved cautiously forward. Making sure her shoes made no noise. If it weren't for the gaping and jagged section of missing wall she could have said there was no battle.

The closer she moved to the open section of wall, the more she noticed the evidence of a great duel. Parts of the stone had been melted making the stone look like pooled wax. There were burned slashes in the tapestries and she could see the gargoyle's head resting against a stone pillar, body not attached.

At 30 feet from the broken section of the castle, under a pile of rubble, she saw it.

And her heart broke.

"No... no no no no no NO!"

Throwing caution to the wind she dashed forward and franticly moved the rubble to the side, forgetting she could just magic it away.

There, under the pile of burned and shattered stone bricks, was the lifeless body of Albus Dumbledore.

Hermione couldn't breathe. She couldn't believe.

"Oh god!" She sobbed.

She fell back, hands behind her holding her up as she stared at the fallen headmaster in shock.

She couldn't breathe.

Her heart felt like it wasn't pumping.

There's horrible tension making her chest _hurt_.

She wants to cry but it's too much. _Too much._

She pulled her shaking limbs closer and hugged herself.

Started rocking, back and forth.

She couldn't breathe!

She wanted to crawl out of her body. It was too much. _**Too much!**_

"Well, well, well, what is this tasty little morsel?"

Hermione knew that voice. Shock morphed into rage. She clutched her wand tightly.

"Bellatrix Lestrange." Her voice was course, angry, a growl.

"Correct! Turn around my sweet?" It was not a request.

Her body wasn't right.

Hermione remained where she was. "Did you kill him?" Her voice still a growl.

Bellatrix just started laughing.

Her body reacted. A murderous growl ripped from her throat.

It was too small! Her body was too small for the rage she felt!

Bellatrix's laughing stopped, "Fascinating!"

Hermione turned and attacked her prey.

"Defodio!" Yelled Bellatrix.

The ceiling collapsed on to Hermione. Pinning her.

"Dumbly-dore didn't expect that either. You should have seen his eyes. Priceless!" Bellatrix stood before Hermione.

The weight of stone was crushing her.

"You are magnificent! Just like the white one... and I know exactly what to do with you!" Bellatrix raised her wand and pointed it at Hermione's eye.

"You'll make a fantastic guard dog. _Imperio!_"


	13. Body

**Author's Note: Weird fact. Did you know that you don't need to put a disclaimer on any fan fiction? FF.N has it covered in the ToS. So all the disclaimers you read on people's stories are redundant... Just something I found out today.**

The Imperio Curse had failed to work on her even when Bellatrix shot the thing right into her eye as an attempt to by-pass her natural defenses. The insane witch decided it would be better to knock her out with a huge boulder to the head instead. She woke up later, with no idea how long she'd been unconscious for, in a dank dungeon.

Hermione was having an out of body experience. She figured it was her body's defenses trying to protect her active mind from whatever her body had gone through while unconscious. So her human mind had awoken unattached to her now canine body. She retained a few of her senses.

In front of her, her body was a large reddish wolf. Chain's were attached to all four ankles and another around the neck. The wolf was collapsed in a heap on the floor struggling to breathe correctly. To her dismay, it appeared one of her eyes was gone. What had been done too her?

Her answer came when Bellatrix strode into the dim dungeon and cast Cruciatus on her body without warning. She mentally cringed as her body whimpered and convulsed against the chain binding it. Bellatrix stopped the curse and ran her hand appreciatively over the fur on her body's head. Hermione watched with satisfaction as she tried to bite Bellatrix.

"I will continue with your training until you submit to me." Bellatrix whispered before pulling back and casting the spell again.

Hermione didn't know if she should be thankful for the fact her body defended her mind or sorrowful because she had to watch the entire ordeal knowing instinctively once her mind returned to her body she would remember how it felt.

She was tortured for hours; Bellatrix would cast the Cruciatus Curse on her body for 5 to 10 seconds then ask her if she would submit, who her master was and other ridiculous things. Sometimes the insane witch would beat her body when she became frustrated that her magic didn't cause her to submit immediately.

It was to Hermione great horror and relief when she felt her mating bond pulse. Relief because she knew Ginny would stop at nothing to save her. Horror because she knew Ginny was fully connected to her mind _and body._

**Author's Note: If you wish to know what Hermione looks like... google: North American Red Wolf. Ginny looks like an Arctic Wolf. **

_**God, they are beautiful creatures aren't they?**_


	14. List

**Author's Note: There is a reason why this chapter is written differently! A very important reason.**_  
><em>

_Four days. 96 hours. 5760 minutes. 345600 seconds! Her mate had been missing for four entire days..._

After the werewolves had taken care of the dangerous entities inside the school and submitted themselves for imprisonment, the head count began.

12 HSF members, dead.

3 underage students caught renegade spells during the evacuation, dead.

7 of age students, dead.

2 teachers, Sprout and Flitwick, dead.

1 headmaster, dead.

5 missing students, including Hermione.

They had lost count of the injuries.

Dumbledore's death was taken particularly hard.

The entire school and Hogwarts Security Forces were in awe of the Protector Wolf. None had any clue the magical beast had that kind of power over werewolves. If Wolf Ginny had not been present as the werewolves commenced their planned attack, the denizens of Hogwarts would have been completely slaughtered.

While they were in awe, they knew to leave the beast alone. Immediately after the battle the white wolf had taken to franticly searching the castle grounds.

It became clear the creature had not found what it was desperately searching for when it started pacing back and forth in one area. The wolf continued to pace continuously for 12 hours.

Witnesses to its soul-filled mournful howl after it stopped pacing would later describe it as one of the hardest things to listen too, on par with Fawke's sorrowful singing at Dumbledore's funeral.

The following day, the wolf's depressive display brought more attention to its plight.

During the eerily silent lunch, Hagrid came bursting through the Great Hall's massive doors shouting in concern about the white protector collapsing in pain. Nearly the entire school flooded to the grass field on the outskirts of Wolves Tower. Met with the sight of the Protector Wolf convulsing in obvious distress. After 5 gruesome minutes of twitching and whimpers the canine collapsed and promptly passed out from the ordeal.

**Author's Note: Yes it is short but I would rather not have to write what's been written time and time again when an author kills Dumbledore. Wouldn't you agree reading about depressed people isn't as fun as say... what's going to happen with Ginny? **

**By the way I have become completely enraptured by a spectacular piece of fan fiction. It's called "The Last Spy" by sylphides**

**Next chapter! A big surprise! **


	15. Mind

**Author's Note: Apologizes for the half-assed chapter. Life got really busy and didn't want to leave you guys hanging without a story to read.**

Ginny didn't know what to do. The connection she shared with Hermione had been apparently severed. She felt like a part of herself was missing, like a limb grossly chopped off and amputated. All she could attribute this to was that her mate was no longer with her. She couldn't say the word, it would make it real.

So she let her canine instincts take her body completely and her human brain silently mourned in a tiny space somewhere in the back of her head.

Ginny remained that way, alive by all definitions of life but voluntarily comatose, until the waves of unbearable pain rolled through her. Pain so consuming, so utterly devastating, so mind endingly horrible, she blacked out immediately after the first time they rolled through her body.

The waves continued to hit her at random intervals but at least 4 to 5 times an hour for nearly 2 entire days.

Both her minds, wolf and human, fled from her in an attempt to protect themselves.

* * *

><p><strong>-blink-<strong>

A roar.

**-blink-**

Pain.

Pain.

_Pain!_

**-blink-**

A brown bear.

**-blink-**

"... to us!"

**-blink-**

_Defend yourself._

**-blink-**

"Remain calm! Ginny-"

**-blink-**

Pain.

_Pain!_

_PAIN!_

**-blink-**

A red wolf.

Chained.

**-blink-**

"Ginny?"

**-blink-**

"...submit to me."

Pain!

**-blink-**

A growl.

Teeth.

Attack!

**-blink-**

"I am your master!"

**-blink-**

Warmth. Love.

Hermione?

Relief.

Horror!

_**Pain! PAIN!**_

* * *

><p>Ginny's mind <em>snapped<em> back into her body. The connection had returned. Hermione had returned to her. Ginny's relief at feeling her mate through their bond lasted milliseconds before she became enraged.

"You have returned to us." Not a question but a statement from Arito.

Ginny was not surprised to see him. Where ever her mind went it still had enough sense to know he had been called to control her mindless body when she retreated from the pain.

Only an equally powerful being could control an out of control battle god.

That's what Ginny was: A Battle God.

"I think it's time I used my magic. Don't you agree, _Artemis_?"


	16. Deep

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay! I wrote the entire thing out and found myself with a paradox. A very obvious paradox... So I split it into a few chapters and here's the first part of the Finale!**

_Previously..._

_"I think it's time I used my magic. Don't you agree, _Artemis_?" _

Ginny peered at the brown bear with an expression of respect. When she had embraced her magical heritage to its fullest, it had given her more insight into just who the wilderness god was. She watched as the huge brown bear seemed to shimmer and then lessen in size, turning into a red haired woman in a green tunic made entirely of vines.

"Fantastic! I was ever so tired of running around as a bear. A _male_ bear..." Artemis paused, nodding as she gave Ginny a once over, "Now then, tell me what you _are_."

The statement threw Ginny for a loop. It was not what she was expecting from the mythical goddess. She opened her mouth to respond immediately but Artemis' gave her a sharp look that said think deeply about it before you answer that.

Instinct told her that her mate's survival hinged on how she responded. So she set aside her rage momentarily and closed her eyes as she looked deep. Past the white fur and shape of a wolf, past the red hair and body of a human, past the powerful primal magic and looked directly at herself.

"I am Ulfheonar." She said with clarity, "The Berserker, the Battle-Tested, the Warrior, the Defender & Protector!"

Ginny opened her eyes and saw Artemis looking at her with pride. She had come into herself and realized just who and what she was.

There was no time to bask in the realization though, her mind chose this moment to accept the memories she tried to protect herself from. Ginny groaned as they slammed into her.

_The pain was unimaginable. Being dragged over piles of sharp broken glass, cutting into her skin. Flames licking at her body, her nerves screaming in pain. Acid eating her flesh and bone. Pain!_

_She was dimly aware that her body convulsed on the ground, brain unable to take both the pain and control her body. To Wolf Ginny it seemed to last for days and weeks but in reality it only lasted 5 minutes before her mind collapsed on itself and she blacked out._

_She awoke sometime later inside Wolves Tower, her body felt the aftershocks through her nerves as she stood._

_"Miss Weasley please do not move, it will strain your body." McGonagall's voice drifted to her from the other side of the circular room. "You were under the effects of the Cruci-"_

_Wolf Ginny stopped hearing as the pain ripped through her body again. She lashed out instinctively trying to make the pain go away. A muffled roar could be heard and a heavy pressure on her chest. When the pain subsided, Wolf Ginny opened her eyes and found Arito standing with one massive clawed paw on her chest holding her down and a large section of the room a pile of rubble._

_"Leave us human! She is not herself and cannot control her instincts. Do not come near this place for it will be certain death for anyone other than I." _

_Not being deterred by the giant talking bear in front of her, McGonagall spoke, "I will leave her only when you tell me what is happening to my student."_

_Wolf Ginny watched the two converse just thankful the pain had stopped._

_"Her mate is in pain and through their connection she can feel everything." Arito leveled a grave stare at the human. "Ginny's mind has fled the trauma and she is entirely instinct now, a Wolf Ginny if you will. If her mind has fled then it is obvious to me that her mate's has as well. They will not return to themselves until one or both realizes what is happening and until that time Ginny will respond to all threats to herself violently. You must leave now!"_

_Wolf Ginny spent the next 2 days alternating between convulsing on the ground in pain and attacking Arito when she felt threatened. The bear being larger in size used his weight to force her to the ground long enough for the her instincts to realize the bear was not a threat._

Ginny groaned and stumbled slightly as the previous 2 days flashed before her in a matter of seconds.

"I am going to **kill** whoever is hurting _my mate!_" Growled the enraged wolf.


	17. Fade

**Author's Note: I am a mean mean person. **

"Artemis, join me?" Ginny asked.

"I would be honored to help reunite my favorite warriors."

Artemis bowed slightly in respect of Ginny & Hermione's bond, then positioned herself next to the white wolf with a hand on her fur.

"Concentrate. Bring yourself to her." Artemis instructed.

Ginny did as she was told, trusting the ancient goddess' knowledge. She reached out to Hermione through their connection and found her mate.

"There!" Ginny lifted her right paw and slashed the air before her, tearing a magical hole to her mate's location and putting enough of her magic into the tear to make it large enough for her and Artemis to walk through. The hole revealed a dark room.

Walls of stone, the smell of old mold and dust reached her nose as she and the wilderness goddess stepped through the tear into the dungeon cautiously. Artemis raised a hand and the dungeon was filled with light.

An almost wail tore itself from Ginny's throat when she saw her mate.

Shoved in a corner farthest from the dungeon entrance was Wolf Hermione. She had positioned herself to see anything that came in her direction. Her fur was a mess, covered in dirt, grime, and blood. Her limbs bound by magical shackles and a ghastly metal collar was digging into the flesh of her neck. Wolf Hermione's one remaining eye watched as Ginny approached her.

"Hermione?" Ginny voiced softy.

A low warning growl was the only response.

Ginny sent Artemis a questioning look. "I can feel her but this isn't..."

"Ginny."

The white wolf turned back to her mate and was met with the faintest fuzzy outline of a human standing next to the terrified red wolf on the floor. The outline kneeled down and stroked the side of the red wolf's face and the wolf calmed.

"Ginny." Said the phantom turning its head to her.

"Oh no..." Artemis gasped. She had been silently watching the scene before her. "Hermione's human spirit has completely fled from the torture! She cannot return to her body! Ginn-" Artemis' voice cracked before it failed her.

Ginny's cried out in horror, a strangled whimper escaping at the realization. If a goddess was terrified and disgusted by what had happened to her mate it only meant one thing: _Her mate was lost to her._

Ginny's soul fractured and her heart screamed.

"Hermione." She managed to croak, completely filled with sorrow.

Walking up to the phantom, Ginny fell before it nearly unable to comprehend what was happening. **Anything but this!** Hermione had been tortured for days and she wasn't even allowed to parish with her Earthy body. It was too cruel.

The phantom glided over to the broken white wolf and placed a hand on Ginny's forehead. "Ginny." It said softly, comfortingly, before it faded into nothingness.

"Well well well... What do we have here? Another guard dog perhaps?"

_Bellatrix!_

Ginny's mind held nothing for one beat. As the phantom faded her connection with Hermione snapped and with it her soul was ripped, painfully in half. Her mind slipped into madness. Filled with unbearable grief, Ginny gathered all her remaining sanity and every ounce of magic she possessed.

The Ulfheonar was going to avenge her mate and let The Wicked One understand why her kind carried the name Berserker.

**Author's Note: Do remember the story does have a happy ending! But they have to work for it :P It's never fun when its all smiles all the time.**


	18. Dark

**WARNING: It's gonna get violent. We all know she deserves it though!**

Artemis placed her hand on the white fur and stepped through the magic portal. She was impressed by the young Ulfheonar's abilities to rip the fabric of the universe and connect two places together just using a sliver of magic. It was an impressive display for someone so young.

The dank room they arrived in appeared to be a castle dungeon. Artemis could feel the weight of the earth above them as it pressed downwards.

The dungeon itself was rather simplistic, even if it was large. The whole of the room was just a giant square with one entrance, a few support columns and a few candles attached to the walls.

Artemis raised her hand, lighting the candles.

The noise the white wolf made caused her heart to tighten in pain. She was all too aware of seeing ones significant other in such a condition. Her sadness was momentary though as the sight of her precious wolf's mate enraged her.

The red Ulfheonar was bodily broken to a horrid degree. Artemis watched in silent fury as the white wolf called to her mate and the broken wolf responded with a growl of warning. The days of torture making the red wolf perceive everything as a threat.

When she heard the ghostly voice and saw the near invisible outline next to the chained wolf, "Oh no..." Artemis' heart filled with sadness beyond a mortal's comprehension, "Hermione's human spirit has completely fled from the torture! She cannot return to her body! Ginn-"

She could not continue. Artemis _physically felt_ Ginny's soul break. In all her millennia of existence the wilderness goddess had never felt a creature experience pain such as this. Then to see the phantom of the white wolf's mate touch her and speak so comfortingly before she faded from existence. There were no words to describe...

Artemis turned her attention to the dungeon entrance.

A vile presence entered and spoke, "Well, well, well... What do we have here? Another guard dog perhaps?"

This was _the thing_ responsible for destroying one of her finest gifts to the universe. This vile_ thing_ had disrespected all Artemis represented as the patron goddess of the wilderness. The _thing_ would be obliterated off the face of the Earth.

A primal and guttural noise ripped through the stagnant air of the dungeon and Artemis watched with sadistic glee as _the thing_ recoiled in instinctual fear.

Artemis did not fault her beloved creation for losing some of her young innocence and light as the white fur turned a distinct grey filled with high-lights and low-lights. Nothing in existence could watch and **feel **half of its soul ripped away, without becoming darker.

Artemis would never fault the now grey wolf for wanting her revenge and very rarely did the gentle goddess like causing pain and even more rarely did she enjoy causing it.

Artemis shoved _the thing _into the dank dungeon with a gust of strong air from the upper parts of the castle and then created a wall of impenetrable vines to block _the thing's _escape. Artemis would not interfere and reveled in the sight of the grey Berserker about to deliver her revenge. There would be no _taking_ in this revenge, for there was nothing to take from the pitiful excuse _the thing_ was.

There would only be the gift of pain, suffering, and fear.

_The thing's _eyes widened when it saw Artemis, recognition in its terrified eyes. Artemis met _the thing's _gaze and gave it the most fear inducing evil smirk she could give it. _The thing_ trembled and nearly fell as its knees buckled slightly.

"Ginny," Artemis got the fury filled wolf's attention and gave her a suggestion, "Take... your time."

The wolf gave a smirk of her own and advanced on _the thing_. It tried to hurt the grey wolf with hexes and curses but this Ulfheonar was not fresh from its first shifting and vulnerable to the more powerful spells. The spells hit the grey wolf and were absorbed completely or deflected off her fur. Ginny continued her slow stalking movement forward.

Artemis watched as _the thing_ tripped on the uneven dirt floor, falling back roughly. It scrambled backwards until it hit the stone wall of the dungeon. _The thing_ began to plead for its life, promising power and riches if it were released and allowed to live. Sobbing when it realized the pleas had no effect. Artemis let loose a single guffaw at its stupidity.

When the grey wolf reached _the thing_, she leaned forward ever so slowly, moving into its line of sight to meet its terror filled eyes, making sure _the thing_ knew what was coming.

Without warning Ginny grabbed its right leg and bit down savagely, breaking the bone with a loud snap and piercing its flesh with her teeth. _The thing_ shrieked and tired to retaliate with a Killing Curse to Ginny's face.

The curse hit the grey wolf directly and she staggered back from the overpowered spell. _The thing_ took the opportunity to cast some healing magic on its leg. Artemis surveyed the leg it appeared healed but _the thing_ got up with a very noticeable limp as it advanced on the somewhat stunned wolf firing off Killing Curse after Killing Curse. Each curse stunning Ginny just a little more.

A burst of primal magic and _the thing_ went flying in the direction of the chained red wolf in the far corner. It landed close enough that the red wolf leaped as far as the chains would allow managing to grab _the thing's _left arm. The instinctual wolf viciously shook _the thing_ until she tore the entire left arm from its body.

_The thing_ yelled, "Avada Kedavra!" Killing the body of Hermione.

Artemis watched the red wolf's body collapse. When she turned to Ginny, the grey wolf's response to the situation was not what Artemis expected.

Ginny turned her half-mad eyes to Artemis and asked, "Do you know Hades?"


	19. Alternate

**Author's Note: Not only did I kill Hermione, I killed her twice and you guys are taking it pretty well. Much love to you for it! If you remember I mentioned a big surprise for you all after the first story. Well it's coming soon :)**

_Previously..._

_"Defodio!" Yelled Bellatrix._

_The ceiling collapsed on to Hermione. Pinning her._

_"Dumbly-dore didn't expect that either. You should have seen his eyes. Priceless!" Bellatrix stood before Hermione._

_The weight of stone was crushing her. _

_"You are magnificent! Just like the white one... and I know exactly what to do with you!" Bellatrix raised her wand and pointed it at Hermione's eye._

"You'll make a fantastic guar-" Bellatrix's mad speech was abruptly cut off as she was blasted away from Hermione, hitting what was left of a castle wall with a loud smack.

A spectacularly bright light filled the rubble strewn corridor which blinded Hermione. She could see three figures walk across the corridor in the direction Bellatrix went. They were obscured by the after images left in her eyes. She blinked in an effort to clear her vision and struggled to move and see what was happening but the weight of stone kept her firmly place.

Bellatrix released a high pitched shriek that turned into a gurgling sound.

"Will you do what I asked?" A gruff female voice.

A male voice responded gleefully, "Te-he! You were correct! This one is a piece of work. I think she will make a very good example to others _to leave our kind alone._" He ended in a deadly serious tone.

Another female voice, more musical in quality, "I still want to just kill her." She said indifferently. Hermione's muddle brain brought up images of a woman inspecting her finger nails with a glare.

Barking laughter, "She doesn't deserve the peace of death for what she did. _This thing..._" The gruff voice said with distaste, "Its going to suffer for a very long time."

The gurgling noises coming from Bellatrix increased in pitch to a panicked level until they someone gained an even more gurgling quality. Another flash of light, less overwhelming than the first, and the muffled noise from Bellatrix was interrupted by a _thunk_.

Silence. One beat. Two beat.

Bellatrix screamed. Screamed so loud and clear it made Hermione flinch as her ears protested.

"Gah! Shut that thing up!" The musical voice.

"Oopsy! Sorry about that. Forgot they sometimes can still speak when I cut their heads off." A dark chuckle, "Wonder's of magic right? Cut her vocal cords in half and she can still scream like a banshee! Silencio."

A grey shadow moved into Hermione's vision. She tried to move her head to look up but the heavy rubble kept her in place. The shadow leaned down and Hermione met the sad blue-white eyes of Ginny. Hermione tried to speak but only a whimper escaped her.

Even with her mind muddled from her inability to breathe properly Hermione knew something important was happening. She could feel Ginny through her connection but she was not standing in front of her. Hermione could feel Ginny outside the castle quite some distance from her. _Why is your fur so dark?_

Ginny opened her mouth to speak but slim arm appeared in Hermione's vision to attach itself to Ginny's shoulder, getting her attention. Ginny turned to look at whoever the arm belonged too.

"You need to go now!" Said the musical voice, "While Hades and I can exist here, you cannot. Your former self has not come into her full power yet. I told you what must be done. Go!"

Ginny looked into Hermione's eyes for a second before disappearing from her view. _Her eyes..._

The person the arm belonged to stepped into her line of sight. A woman with red hair and a green leafy dress. She felt familiar to Hermione. The woman smiled serenely at her.

"It has been too long Hermione!"

Hermione's face contorted into confusion. She was pretty sure she was hallucinating at this point. The situation was just too absurd for her oxygen deprived brain to comprehend.

A very muscular oriental man stepped into Hermione's vision and began speaking to the woman.

"Sorry to interrupt!" He directed a kind smile toward Hermione. "Do you want to keep this or should I take it with me?" He held out the decapitated head of Bellatrix Lestrange out in front of him. Her eyes and mouth still moving.

Hermione couldn't take it, _I think I'm going crazy..._ and she let the oxygen deprivation take her into unconsciousness.

**Author's Note: If you're confused... it's okay! Everything is coming together and all will be explained. (Also an important addition to Chapter 17's A/N, go read it.)  
><strong>


	20. Future?

**Author's Note: So Artemis looks like Emma Stone (Easy A) and Hades looks like BD Wong (Law & Order: SVU). In a strange twist, their personalities in this story are opposites from the ones in the show/movie. I think I'll go watch Easy A again... it's pretty freaking funny!**

_Previously..._

_"This is like a nightmare." Said Ginny._

_Hermione's eyes widened in horror. She grabbed onto the red head's hand tightly. "Ginny! We're in a dream. That means this __is__ a nightmare!"_

_Standing together in the nightmare forest, the sound becoming louder and the darkness more imposing, they tried to awaken but as with any good nightmare you can never seem to leave when you want too._

_An almost deafening bout of evil cackles caused them to release their joined hands and cover their ears in an attempt to avoid the auditory pain. The horrific laughter continued as they fell to their knees. Their ears pulsing in agony._

_When Ginny raised her head, hands still attached to the sides, she found Bellatrix Lestrange's face centimeters from her face. She released a terrified scream before the face rushed at her and she was flung from the dream._

* * *

><p><em>"You need to go now! While Hades and I can exist here, you cannot. Your former self has not come into her full power yet. I told you what must be done. Go!"<em>

* * *

><p><em>Hermione's terror morphed into rage and Ginny then felt <em>everything_. Her mate was almost completely wolf at that moment. Complete instinctual need to kill something, someone._

Ginny jumped to her feet when she felt the suffocating pain. This was not the pain of a simple injury. It was as if someone had dumped a large weight on her chest making her unable to move or breathe properly. She needed to get to her mate as soon as possible.

Running past the werewolves headed into the castle at her command, Ginny followed their connection and began shoving through the chaos of spells and rubble toward her mate. It started out at break neck speeds but soon came to a near crawl as the fighting was crowded in many corridors. Sometimes she would turn a corner and an entire section of her path was nothing but broken stone from floor to ceiling, causing her to retrace her steps.

_Why is your fur so dark?_ The thought came with a flash image of a grey wolf standing over Hermione. Ginny's fear increased two fold. Another Ulfheonar standing over her mate, who was in great pain, could mean only one thing. _Her eyes..._

Ginny increased her speed toward the upper reaches of Hogwarts. She encountered only one blocked passageway but a burst of uncontrolled magic removed the collapsed ceiling. Running through as the upper floor crashed in behind her, filling the hallway with a thick blanket of dust. She blinked the dust from her eyes and caught a glimpse of grey before she slammed into it.

She was bucked off the body she smashed into, then came to a stop crashing into a wall. Having whacked her head on impact, she struggled not to pass out as two dark grey paws landed on the floor in front of her snout. The grey wolf leaned down and peered into her eyes.

_I think I'm going crazy..._ Ginny didn't know who's thought it was but she was staring into her own white-blue eyes.

* * *

><p><em>She was standing in the dream forest. It seemed as if the previous encounter with the black apparition had had no follow through on the imaginary place.<em>

_"Ginny!" She turned and was promptly tackled by Hermione. "Oh god it is good to see you!"_

_A quick kiss, "I'm fine, I think. Are you okay?" Ginny smiled at her mate._

_"Yeah but it's weird I thought I saw yo-"_

* * *

><p>"Wake up, damn it."<p>

The something that was prodding into her side had woken Ginny from the dream.

"Good, you're awake. There are some things you need to know."

Ginny opened her eyes to the grey Ulfheonar moving away from her to a grove of trees.

_Trees?_ She inspected her surroundings. Instead of the Hogwarts corridor she was last in, Ginny was surrounded by the ancient trees of the Forbidden Forest. She must have been far from the school because she heard no sounds of battle. Quickly getting to her feet and assuming a defensive posture, Ginny was taking no chances, she turned to inspect the foreign wolf.

The grey wolf was about the same size as her, if a bit more lean. Its fur unclean and not very well cared for, full of ratty ends and sticking up in odd directions. Ginny got the feel the wolf was uneasy and jittery. Despite the unkempt appearance, power rolled of this being not unlike Arito in scale and intensity. Ginny could almost see the pulses coming from it.

"If I remember right I have not learned how to speak yet. Isn't that right?" The wolf was speaking English.

Ginny just tilted her head to the side, narrowing her eyes. "I know how to speak." She said in the wolven language. The white wolf was beginning to piece it together.

The grey wolf nodded, "Right, yeah, my memory is fuzzy these days." She lowered her head slightly and began whispering to herself very quietly. "She's fine, good, fine fine! _She's alive!_ Okay, need to tell her everything. Yes."

Ginny watched the grey wolf speak to itself, alarmed.

"Are you alright?" She almost took a step forward in concern. The grey wolf flinched.

"No! I'm not okay! But that's why Im here!" She laughed. "I broke the universe! Did you know that? I broke it to save her. To save me! You figured it out right?" The grey wolf's eyes were manic.

"Yeah." Ginny nodded not making any sudden movements. She had figured out this was another version of her, most likely from the future.

Future Ginny started to slowly advance on Ginny.

"I came back here to fix everything. _Everything!_" Future Ginny suddenly changed topics, "Did you know that we die without partners? We were made in pairs. Always pairs." A sob racked her entire body.

"I lost my mate. _So long ago..._ but I refused to die. No! I decided to change everything. Everything! You see when we first change we are vulnerable. So weak and-and! _That bitch!_ She ruined it! She ruined her!" Future Ginny was still advancing, getting ever closer with that manic look in her eyes.

"Don't worry though, I took care of her. She's going to suffer. Suffer for eternity! I asked the god of life and death for a favor. An expensive favor! So worth it." The grey wolf began cackling madly. "She's going to be immortal! Hahaha!" Future Ginny's face fell suddenly.

"We die without partners... but I stayed! My mind it's - it left me a long time ago because." Another sudden topic change. "You're how old?" The question was the most sane Ginny had heard yet.

"Seventeen." Ginny responded. She had a feeling something was about to happen. Something she would not like.

"I'm two hundred and forty seven." She paused, "My mate died when I was seventeen." Future Ginny had stopped advancing and her eyes were completely sane.

Ginny was beyond shocked. She was flabbergasted. The implications were immense.

"You're going to have to forgive me for what I have to do next Ginny." Said the completely sane future version of her. "It's the only way to fix what I've done, because I did indeed break the universe to come back in time. For as much as the magical world knows of time travel, they actually know nothing. You'll understand."

Future Ginny slammed Ginny with a massive wave of magical energy. It did not physically move her but rather smashed into her own magic. The interaction of their magic, the same but also not, had an immediate effect.

"The memories will tell you everything." Said Future Ginny, her body becoming translucent, "You will remember but also forget them."

The world fell away as Future Ginny's memories were becoming her own.


	21. Memories

**Author's Note: Lack of reviews has made me a little sad... Ginny**_** is**_** experiencing the entire memories from previous chapters and all of Future Ginny's as well. Now I doubt you want to read those over again so I'm just taking important sentences.**

_Previously..._

_"The memories will tell you everything." Said Future Ginny, her body becoming translucent, "You will remember but also forget them."_

_The world fell away as Future Ginny's memories were becoming her own._

* * *

><p>Ginny didn't know what to do. The connection she shared with Hermione had been apparently severed. She felt like a part of herself was missing, like a limb grossly chopped off and amputated.<p>

* * *

><p>"Ginny's mind has fled the trauma and she is entirely instinct now, a Wolf Ginny if you will."<p>

* * *

><p>The world came to her in flashes. Short scenes consisting of a noise or a feeling or just a few words.<p>

* * *

><p>"You have returned to us." Not a question but a statement from Arito.<p>

* * *

><p>"I am Ulfheonar." She said with clarity, "The Berserker, the Battle-Tested, the Warrior, the Defender &amp; Protector!"<p>

* * *

><p>Ginny lifted her right paw and slashed the air before her, tearing a magical hole to her mate's location and putting enough of her magic into the tear to make it large enough for her and Artemis to walk through.<p>

* * *

><p>An almost wail tore itself from Ginny's throat when she saw her mate.<p>

* * *

><p>The phantom glided over to the broken white wolf and placed a hand on Ginny's forehead. "Ginny." It said softly, comfortingly, before it faded into nothingness.<p>

Ginny felt her soul tear. The light of the world dimmed and her happiness would never return to her.

* * *

><p>Bellatrix Lestrange strode into the dungeon, a wicked smile upon her lips, "Well, well, well... What do we have here? Another guard dog perhaps?"<p>

* * *

><p>Ginny stalked her prey intending to make it's death extremely slow. She was going to enjoy her revenge. The terror in Bellatrix's eyes gave her immense pleasure and tearing her limb from limb felt like the only thing that would bring her some semblance of peace.<p>

* * *

><p>Her eye sight was fuzzy and the room would not stop spinning. The curse Bellatrix sent her way pounded into her with great force, stunning her more each hit.<p>

* * *

><p>The connection they shared faded away as her mate's body died. Ginny knew that the body of her mate would never survive without a soul. She was reminded of those who received the Dementor's kiss. So she formed a plan for the ultimate revenge.<p>

"Do you know Hades?" She asked Artemis.

* * *

><p>Once she explained her plan to Artemis, the goddess offered to accompany Ginny on her quest for revenge. Stating that she enjoyed Ginny's company and that the grey wolf would probably need a companion to keep her sane soon.<p>

"Hades will take some time to find and your attempt at time travel will likely 'break'," Artemis used finger quotes, " some things. So we need to find a way to fix that once we go back."

* * *

><p>Artemis and her had been searching the planet for nearly 35 years now and they had finally found Hades. The annoying bastard moved around a lot but they had gotten some good information from Athena a few days back and now they stood at the base of Mt. Baigong in the Qinghai province of China.<p>

"Oh-ho-ho! What has brought these two _fine_ ladies to my humble abode?" He smirked.

* * *

><p>"You want me to make the killer of your mate immortal?" Hades' face was pricelessly shocked and Ginny held back a laugh.<p>

"I want you to make her immortal... after you cut off her head."

He found this prospect hilarious from the amount of giggles spewing from his mouth. "Oh titans! You, my dear, are the most devious creature I think I have ever met."

He paused thoughtfully, " I shall do this but at a price."

* * *

><p>"Ginny why do you never return to human form?"<p>

"It's not like I have any need too."

* * *

><p>Ginny heard Artemis mutter a rather lively string of expletives. Ginny was trying to complete another one of the tasks that Hades had asked them to do as payment for his services.<p>

"I don't know how Dumbledore did it!" Yelled Ginny. "How did he manage a phoenix as his familiar!"

Said phoenix was trying to set them on fire.

* * *

><p>Her mind was slipping more and more as the years passed. Artemis had been doing all she could to help Ginny but at this point it was hard for the grey wolf to keep it together. She often went into insane rants for no reason. More times than Ginny could count she had woken up in bindings after Artemis had knocked her out. It was also being extremely difficult to keep her thoughts in line.<p>

* * *

><p>They were back at Mt. Baigong; Ginny dropped the giant sentient pumpkin at the feet of Hades. He stomped a foot on one of its vines as it tried to scramble away.<p>

"Ah! You have completed all I have asked. Let me take care of this Pumpkin-Head and I'm ready to go." His smile was menacingly gleeful.

* * *

><p>Stepping out of the time portal gave Ginny a sense of nostalgia. Her mind went through a series of questions wondering what happened to her family and friends after she disappeared. Had they known of what she was? Did they just assume she had died in the battle?<p>

Ginny tried to reign her inane thoughts in order. She had a job to do.

* * *

><p>She stood in front of Hermione. The red wolf almost completely covered by the rubble and stones, only her head could be seen.<p>

Grief hit her in the chest for the first time in nearly 200 years. Seeing the past version of her mate was almost unbearable. The fact she shared no connection with this Hermione was enough to stab the point in her heart.

* * *

><p>It shocked her for a few seconds to see how white her fur had been in the beginning. Reminded her of how innocent and naive she had been so long ago.<p>

Her past self nearly tackled her as she came stampeding through the dust hallway. Ginny managed to flip her off and let the white wolf's momentum do the rest.

Her past self looked stunned from the hit to the wall and Ginny inspected her quickly then knocked her on the head with a burst of magic.

* * *

><p>As she spoke to her past self, the control over her mind began to slip and communication became increasingly hard. She knew she was not making complete sense to her past self but the white wolf pieced it together enough.<p>

Clarity reigned supreme for the first time since her mate left her. Ginny would be free of the unending sadness and she would be at peace.

She gathered all her magical energy for the ritual. It was time to give her past self her collective knowledge and then erase herself from this time line.

Hopefully the memory barriers Artemis had designed would save the innocent white wolf from most of the emotional trauma.


	22. After

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I got sucked into the Star Wars: The Old Republic weekend beta. So much fun. Here's the final chapter!**

Experiencing the memories for Ginny was like living through them all in the matter of a few seconds. The sheer amount of memories caused her to live a lifetime in a very short amount of time. Her brain almost could not handle the strain but after a few minutes they began to fade into the background of her consciousness. She could grasp the gist of what the other Ginny went through but could not recall any specific moments. Her brain registered this with relief because the other Ginny had gone through a life of grief and suffering.

After a few minutes stumbling around the clearing Ginny noticed that Future Ginny was no longer there. She concentrated on the last few memories and figured out that whatever the other version of her had done, it had removed her from this time line to save the universe from breaking apart. Ginny righted her thoughts and rushed back to Hogwarts.

The grounds hand experienced severe trauma from the battle. There were furrows in the ground that were smoking where the fires had not completely died out. Large sections of the castle were in ruins from explosions or the strain of holding the unsupported sections. The most notable was the tower that housed the headmaster's office. A small section of the tower roof could be seen laying on top of a pile of rubble.

Bodies littered the ground, mostly Death Eaters and their allies. A giant's corpse was leaning against the courtyard leading to the Great Hall. The student's appeared to be in better shape as the bodies on the ground in Hogwart's uniforms were moaning in pain or obviously still breathing.

Ginny flew past all this taking in the sights but not stopping to think on it. She had to get to Hermione and make sure her mate was okay. The last knowledge she had of her mate was throught the connection and it had been a signal of great pain.

Bounding through the castle at great speeds Ginny was stopped by Artemis in a hallway on the 5th floor.

"Your mate was taken to Wolves Tower." Said Artemis. Her face looked extremely relieved.

Ginny backtracked to the ground floor and sprinted her way to her home. She found Hade's standing over Hermione looking pensive and thoughtful.

"I can see why you did what you did. Your mate is breathtaking!" He said this while inspecting her injuries. "I expect her wounds to heal fast. I put her into a magical sleep to remove to rubble that had fallen on her during the battle. Her injuries are bad but not so bad that they would be life threatening."

Ginny just nodded, not taking her eyes off of her mate. She had a vague sense of relief that Hermione was still alive but she would ponder that later. Stepping into the fixed Wolves Tower she placed her canine body in a protective stance next to her mate. Ginny would not move until Hermione had awoken.

* * *

><p>After recovering from her injuries for a few days Hermione finally had enough strength to ask Ginny all the questions she needed to ask. Her first questions had been about what happened to Bellatrix, seeing as the last thing she had seen was the evil woman's head decapitated but still alive.<p>

Hades provided the answer she needed by saying that the head of Belaatrix Lestrange was in a sound proof glass box on top of a pedestal next to the Volde-Statue in the Ministry of Magic. The surviving family members of the people she murdered were currently enjoying the fact they could insult her but she could not reply. The box was one way for sounds.

While she was healing Ginny did not leave her side. The white wolf was either within a few feet of her or laying down next to her at all times. When Hermione asked why Ginny was being so possessive of her, Ginny replied, "I just get the feeling I haven't seen you in a long time."

Ginny regaled her on the memories from Future Ginny that she recalled clearly but there was a massive chunk she could not recall or that she just got emotions from. Ginny described it as trying to remember that one thing you were talking about but it was stuck on the edge of your tongue.

Hermione was flabbergasted to hear that the reason they won the Battle of Hogwarts was because Ulfheonar's had control. or at least power and respect, over all canine species. Artemis described it as being considered canine royalty in their world. Hades was amused that Artemis had created the Ulfheonar as a canine royalty, stating, "If you two are the queens of the dogs, I am the king of China!"

All in all, Hogwarts was recovering from the battle and losing three trusted and respected teachers. The student's were released from their end of the year exams as it was seen as unneeded. They had survived and protected the school, it was a crash course in life for many of the elder students.

A Memorial was placed on the school grounds commemorating the fallen of the battle and citing special thanks to 'Hogwart's Protector' for all it's hard work in saving the citizens of the school and turning the tide of the fight in their favor. Ginny was uncomfortable with having her real identity revealed to the wizarding world so soon when she hadn't even told her best friends and most of her family yet.

Telling them was going to be the hard part.

* * *

><p><em>"Oh... Yeah... Forgot to tell you but I can turn into a giant wolf and a future version of myself totally saved Hermione from dying but don't worry I doubt I'll use magic to break time travel this time around. Also, those two over there are Artemis and Hades... <em>The _Artemis and Hades."_


	23. INFO TIME!

Hello readers!

My life has been super busy and I havent had the time to write the last bit at all! So I thought I would come and put this up for **adoption.**

So!

If you're a writer and want to take on this story-verse send me a PM and a sample of writing or give me some time to read what you have here on FFN. The person I pick will be given free reign on how to write the last part. I'll give a copy of my ideas/notes and offer myself up as a resource to whomever I pick, should they have a question or whatnot that needs my brilliant mind!

Feel free to PM me with any questions you might have.

-Virginia I


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